From the Diary of a Kitchen Goddess: A Fun Fresh Fruit Smoothie

Monday, June 11, 2012 ~ Sharing a mid-morning snack with a friend is twice the fun!

Rise, Sunshine!

Esperanza was still asleep when I rose just after daybreak this morning. After brewing myself a cup of orange spiced tea, I sat in the wicker rocking chair on my back patio. The birds were chirping and the air was cool. Welcoming the sun as it rose over my gardens was a peaceful way to begin my day.

Inspiration from my Garden

Since I love to include fruit in every meal I eat, I decided that this morning's breakfast was oatmeal cooked with milk and honey, and a pat of butter. With the oatmeal, I served blueberries and raspberries, and some whipped cream to cool it down. Fresh orange juice and tea were our beverages.

Later on, I made a fruit smoothie for our mid-morning snack. Fruit smoothies are so refreshing in the warmer months of Spring and Summer, and I wanted to share one with my new friend and apprentice. The energy they give is so good to have when learning something new or working on an exciting project.

Fruit smoothies for 2....or 3...or 4, depending on what size glass they are served in... | Source

Late Vegetable Planting

When my favorite mug was drained of tea, I stopped rocking and rose to collect my seeds, markers, and gardening tools. I wrote a note to Esperanza that hot water was ready for her to make a cup of tea for herself, and then set to preparing for my morning's work. Though the sun was still low, I wore my hat and rubbed sun screen into my skin.

Gathering Tools

In my canvas tool caddy I placed all that I needed for my labor of love: my hand trowel, hand rake, gardening gloves, seeds, wooden markers, purple Sharpie® pen for identifying where I planted the seeds, and water bottle. Then I headed out with the caddy in one hand and my foam kneeling pad in the other.

My garden is surrounded by a fence that keeps critters from eating more of my food than I do. I have invited the nature spirits to take as much as they like, and share them with their animal friends, but asked them to let me have enough to eat each day in return. My harvests have been so plentiful, so I think that this approach has worked.

Sowing Seeds

Kneeling down on the soft, green pad of foam felt good. The chimes hanging from the eaves of my roof were sweet to hear as the breezes kept me cool. In that cool morning air I planted string beans, cucumbers, watermelons, and butternut squash. I also sowed sunflower seeds along the rim of my garden so that they would grow against the fence. They are great company for me as I weed and water. Their smiles are cheerful greetings that reflect the love that the Mother Goddess gives me each day in the form of beautiful blessings.

A Short Respite

When I returned to my kitchen after planting my summer seeds, I juiced a bowl full of oranges, warmed more water for tea, put a Baroque music CD in my player, and cooked a pot of oatmeal to share with Esperanza. She was finishing her first mug of tea and smiled at me warmly when I walked in.

"Are you hungry, my dear?"

"Yes, I am."

"Do you like oatmeal?"

"Yes. I love to eat oatmeal for breakfast."

"I will make oatmeal for us to eat with blueberries and raspberries."

"Mmmm. Delicious."

"Over breakfast we can plan our day. Perhaps you may like to walk my favorite labyrinth and enjoy a fruit smoothie for lunch."

"I couldn't think of a better way to spend the morning."

To be continued....

A Beverage Full of Vitality

Part of the fun of fresh fruit smoothies are their rich color and texture. | Source

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Smoothie Preparation Time~

Prep time: 25 min

Cook time: 5 min

Ready in: 30 min

Yields: Serves 3 - 4 people 1 cup of smoothie

Fruits with Spirit, and other "friends"~

1 Rhubarb stalk, cut into small chunks

1 Banana, cut into thin slices

5 or so Strawberries, cut into small, 1 inch chunks

5 or so Raspberries

1/3 Cup Blueberries

1/3 Cup Coconut Flakes

2 Kale leaves, Removed from stem and chopped

2 Peaches, peeled and chopped into small chunks

1/3 Cup Apple Sauce

1 Tablespoon Raw honey, or mild agave nectar

1 1/ 2 Cup Milk, any level of richness you desire

Assembling Your Smoothie~

Wash and cut the fruit, as directed under "Ingredients."

Combine the ingredients in a blender.

Blend on high for a minute or two.

Serve and drink immediately.

Extra fun sipping through a sturdy straw.

Fruit Smoothies Make you Strong

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1 cup of smoothie

Calories

81

Calories from Fat

45

% Daily Value *

Fat 5 g

8%

Saturated fat 0 g

Unsaturated fat 0 g

Carbohydrates 16 g

5%

Sugar 12 g

Fiber 11 g

44%

Protein 12 g

24%

Cholesterol 0 mg

* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change
depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been
professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.